Buckle-shield.



JOHN GRAF, OF WEST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BUCKLE-SHIELD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1908.

Application filed July 1, 1907. Serial No. 381,711.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN GRAF, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Chicago, in the county of Dupage and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Buckle-Shields, of

complishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construe tion, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully describedand claimed and shown in the accompanying drawingillustrating an exemplification .of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a strap and buckle showing an improved shield constructed in accordance with the rinciples of this invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the shield partly detached; Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 2.sh0wing the shield partly detached and in another position.

- Referring more plagticularly to the drawing and in this exemp cation of the invention, the nuineral 10 designates a portion of a strap to which is secured in the usual manner an ordinary buckle 11, and 12 designates a portion of another stra ada ted to be engaged by the buckle 11 an whic is provided with a series of apertures 13 through which the tongue 14 of the buckle asses in the usual manner, and the end of t is strap 12 may be held in position by means of the ordinary loop '15.

All of the above parts are of the ordinary and well known construction and form no part of the present invention.

\ The guard or shield comprises a clip or snap which may be constructed of any suitable flexible material, such as wire or the like, and shaped to form spaced side members 1617, which are preferably parallel with each other. One extremity of these arms is connected by a cross-piece 18. The other extremity of one of the side members, preferably the side member 16, is provided .The portion 19 is with a laterally projecting portion 19 which extends toward the side member 17 and parallel with the connecting piece or portion 18.

rovided at its free extremity with a catch or hook 20, formed integrally therewith, preferably by bending the extremity of said portion back upon itself as shown more clearly in Fig. 2 to form an open hook into which the free extremity of the side member 17 is adapted to be sprung. The extremity of the side member 17 is provided with an enlargement 21 which serves as a handle by means of which the operator may place the extremity of the side member 17 into the hook or catch 20 to fasten the clip or snap on to the strap and also for thepurpose of detaching the free end of the side member 17 from the hook 20 to permitdlthe clip or snap to be removed when des1re A shield or guard proper 22, constructed of any suitable material, such as metal or the like, is flexibly connected by one extremity to one of the side members 1617, preferably the side member 16, and said shield or guard is of a length somewhat shorter than the length of the clip or snap and is secured to the side member in any desired or suitable manner, preferably by bending one end thereof over the side member so that the guard or shield may be turned about the side member 16 to permit the ready attachment or detachment of the clip or snap. The free extremity of the guard or shield is preferably bent or curved as at 23 to form an open hook shaped ortion which extends the entire length of the guard or shield, which latter is of a width substantially equal to the width of the clip or snap.

In order to apply this improved guard or shield to the strap, the extremity of the side member 17 is disengaged from the hooked extremity of the portion 19, and the shield or guard 22 is turned to theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, after which the clip or snap is placed upon the strap 12 through the opening adjacent the extremity of the side member 17 andthe portion 19, and the portion 19 is then inserted under the strap between the loop 15 and the buckle 11, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The guard or shield 22 is then turned about its support to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, that is, so that the guard or shield will rest upon the top of the strap 12 and over the tongue of the buckle. When in this position the side member 17 of the clip or snap may be placed into the hook shaped portion 23 of the guard or shield, so that the extremity thereof will project beyond the edge of the guard or shield a sufficient dis tance to permit the free extremity to be placed into the hook shaped extremity 20 of the portion 19, and when released, the elasticity of the member 17 will cause the shield or guard 22 to be locked into position. If desired, the connection 18 between the side members 1617 and the portion 19 may be depressed out of the plane of the body portions of the side pieces 16-17 to permit the strap 12 to assume its natural position and to prevent the strap from straining the clip or snap.

When it is desired to remove the shield, all that is necessary is to detach the extremity of the side member 17 from the hook shaped extremity 20 of the portion 19, after which the side 'member 17 may be readily disengaged from the free extremity of the guard or shield 22 and the latter turned about the side member 16 as a pivot into the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, after which the clip or snap may be readily detached from the buckle.

It will thus be seen that this improved construction of a shield may be readily detached from or attached to the strap without unfastening the buckle.

The side member 17 of the clip or snap may be provided with an offset portion 24 adjacent the free extremity thereof to form a recess adapted to receive or stand astride of the portion 19 to permit the side members 16 and 17 to stand in the same plane when the clip is fastened and also serves as a means for preventing the parts from becoming accidentally disengaged.

In order that the invention might be fully understood by those skilled in the art, the details of the foregoing embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described, but

WVhat I claim as new and desire. to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a buckle shield the combination of a shield adapted to be placed over the tongue of a buckle, and means having a detachable engagement with the shield for locking the same to the strap.

2. In a buckle shield the combination of a shield adapted to be laced over the tongue of a buckle, and an e astic clip having a detachable engagement with the shield for looking the latter to the strap.

3. A detached buckle shield comprising a shield adapted to be placed over the tongue of a buckle, a clip having a flexible connection with the shield, and means for removably securing the shield and clip to the strap.

4. A detached buckle shield comprising a clip, a shield having a flexible connection with a portion of the clip, said shield being adapted to be placed over the tongue of the buckle and to be engaged by another portion of the clip to hold the shield in position, and means for removably securing the clip against displacement.

5. In a buckle shield, the combination of a clip, a shield having a flexible connection with a portion of the clip, said shield being ada ted to be placed over the tongue of a buc 1e and adapted to be engaged by another portion of the clip, and means whereby the cli will be placed under tension to lock the shield and clip in position.

6. In a buckle shield, a clip comprising spaced members, permanently connected at one extremity, the other extremities being free, a shield hinged to one of the members and adapted to extend across the clip, means on the free end of the shield adapted to be engaged by the other member of the clip, and means for detachably connecting the free ends of the members.

7. In a buckle shield, a clip comprising spaced members,permanently connected at one extremity, the other extremities being free, a shield hinged to one of the members and adapted to extend across the clip, a lip on the free end of the shield adapted to be engaged by the other member, means for detachably connecting the free ends of the members, and means whereby said other member is placed under tension when the free ends of the members are connected.

8. In a buckle shield, a cli) comprising spaced side and end members, t 1e extremity of one of the side members being detachable from the extremity of one of the end members, means for locking said extremities together, said end members being located out of the plane of the side members, a shield hinged to one of the side members and adapted to extend across the frame, the free extremity of said shield being ada )ted to be engaged by the other side mom or when the extremity thereof is in engagement with the extremity of the end member, whereby said side member will be placed under tension to hold the shield in position.

9. Ina buckle shield, a cli comprising spaced side and end members, t 1e extremity of one of the side members being detached from the extremity of one of the end members, means for locking said extremities together, said end members being located out of the plane of the side members, a shield hinged to one of the side members and ada ted to extend across the frame, the free or go of the shield adjacent the side member being bent to form a seat adapted to receive the side member, whereby the side member will be placed under tension to hold the shield in position and the said side member will also e held against displacement when its extremity is in engagement with the said end member.

10. In combination with a strap provided with a buckle, a clip, a shield one edge of which is hinged to the clip, said shield being adapted to engage one face of the strap, the

clip being adapted to engage the other faceof the strap, and means for detachably locking the shield and clip to the strap.

11. In combination with a strap provided with a buckle, a clip comprising spaced arms permanently connected at one extremity, the other extremities being free, a shield hinged to one of the arms and ada ted to extend across one face of the stra t he clip being adapted to extend across t e other face of the strap, the other arm of the clip bein adapted to engage the free edge of the shiel to hold the latter in position, and means for securing the free ends of the arms together to prevent displacement of the clip.

12. In combination with a strap provided with a buckle, a clip comprising spaced members ermanently connected at one extremity, t e other extremities being free, a shield hinged to one of the members and adapted to extend across one face of the strap, the other member of the clip bein adapted to engage the free edge of the shiel to hold the latter in position and provided with a recess adjacent the free end thereof, into which the free end of the other member is adapted to be seated, and means for locking the free ends of the members together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 26th day of June A. D. 1907.

JOHN GRAF. Witnesses:

J. H. JooHUM, Jr., M. W. OANTWELL. 

